bespoke Online weave mentoring
Online Weave Mentoring
Are you a weaver that could benefit from one-to-one mentoring to support your design development? Or maybe you want to discuss ideas for your professional development or explore a new avenue for your craft practice? Perhaps you’re currently putting together an exhibition, grant or commission proposal and need a fresh pair of eyes to review it before you submit it?
I can offer a bespoke mentoring program to guide and support you. This could be a one-off discussion or series of sessions helping you find clarity, a fresh perspective and new enthusiasm to move forwards with your practice. I can review your portfolio or collection, discuss new ideas, help you recognise your strengths and identify under-explored potential.
How does it work: drop me a line, and I’ll send you some questions to answer to outline your current situation and what you’d like to discuss. We’ll then decide on a date to have an online Zoom meeting. Please ensure you have a good broadband connection, a computer with a camera and microphone or a smart phone / tablet that supports Zoom calls. The meeting will be recorded and the recording will be sent to you afterwards.
A bespoke 10 week online project
Would you relish the challenge of working through a design brief with me over a period of 10 weeks? Taking the exact same approach as I do as a degree lecturer, I would guide you through the design process from research to idea generation, design development, sampling, final outcome, presentation and evaluation. We have a choice of briefs to work on depending on your preferred critical context: textile art, craft, textiles for fashion, or textiles for interiors. We would have a weekly online tutorial meeting, when we would discuss and review progress and map out the tasks for the week ahead. Each meeting will be recorded for your future reference, and you will have additional notes / learning material as necessary.
This is an ideal opportunity for committed weavers with a good degree of technical experience to work independently on their own loom, to get a taste of a degree education approach to woven textile design. It will increase your critical reflection and evaluation skills and open up new design possibilities to you. You will learn the value and importance of in depth research and design development to inform your weave explorations. I will stretch and challenge your approach to woven textiles, encouraging you to be bold and experimental.
How does it work: firstly, drop me a line and I’ll send you some questions to answer. We’ll arrange an initial online chat to discuss the project, choice of brief and timetable. Then we will decide on a regular time and date to have our weekly online Zoom meetings. Please ensure you have a good broadband connection, a computer with a camera and microphone or a smartphone / tablet that supports Zoom. All meetings will be recorded and then recording will be sent to you afterwards. Don’t forget, this is for experienced, not novice weavers. I love to teach novices, but this can’t be done effectively online!
What’s the time commitment? Well, one of my college tutors once said to me, ‘You’ll get out of it, what you put into it!’ This has stood me in good stead ever since! I would recommend at least 2 days per week, but if you can commit more time than this, then you’ll have an even more in-depth body of work and will get greater ‘value for money’ from this experience. The more you do, the more we can discuss and the more you will learn.
“As anyone who has been taught by Laura knows, she is an inspiring and generous tutor. Having her as your personal mentor takes this to a whole new level as she shares her vast experience and knowledge of teaching woven textile design.
Laura has the ability to inspire and motivate you to achieve more than your wildest expectations. You will be encouraged to fully explore your design subject whilst learning to be critical and reflective about your work.
During a 10 week online design project Laura will generously share so much information – videos, mini tutorials, sketchbook tours – that you will have a lasting resource for future reference.
you will be encouraged to take risks and push yourself to discover your own potential - the benefits of this will undoubtedly be reflected in your future woven textiles.”
Lesley Willcock, 2020
Why choose me as a tutor or mentor?
Well, hopefully my website and CV speaks for itself. I have a huge breadth and depth of professional experience, building upon a first class BA degree from the University of Central England (now called Birmingham City University), an MA from the Royal College of Art, a Weave Design Fellowship (Ann Sutton Foundation) and a Visiting Research Fellowship (Weave Design for Smart Clothes and Wearable Technology, University of Wales Newport).
I have nearly 20 years experience of teaching weaving at degree level. I have been a BA Textiles and Professional Skills specialist lecturer at Carmarthen School of Art since 2004, and was Co-Course Director for 4 years. Alongside this permanent position, I have been a visiting tutor / guest speaker at Goldsmiths, Brighton, Nottingham Trent, Hereford, Falmouth, Swansea, University of Creative Arts, and Tokyo Zokei University in Japan. I have also delivered lectures and workshops to many Weavers Guilds, community groups, schools, galleries, museums across the UK, as well as one-to-one private tutoring in my studio.
I pride myself on having a high level of technical expertise which I can clearly articulate and communicate regardless of learning style. But perhaps what I enjoy even more is the rather trickier subject of design development and helping learners to find their unique visual language and personal approach to woven textiles. I am generous with my knowledge and relish seeing my students flourish. I look forward to supporting you in taking your woven textiles to a higher level. Please get in touch to find out more.